Think of a table casino game, now think of a game you play at home that is not a board game, ok now think of a drinking game. Odds are is that at least one of those has some form of a deck of cards involved. Think about everything that has come from a deck of cards when it comes down to it.
In the Wild West, your great great great grandfather's cousin was probably shot over a game of cards in a saloon. I bet you if he is not shot, you’re not here today, thats how a deck of cards impacted your life so far. I can't tell you how many times a deck of cards has cured hours of boredom and instead created hours of fun. Whether its playing rummy with your grandma, playing poker with the fellas, or maybe even losing a couple hundred dollars at the blackjack table. The possibilities of a deck of cards are literally endless. To be specific the amount of ways that one deck of cards can be shuffled is 8x10^67, or 80,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 yeah you try putting that in word form. But some how, I always find the losing deck at the blackjack table. Make it make sense Hollywood Casino.
Think about another invention that can keep people as entertained as a deck of cards. One may say a cellphone, or a computer, but guess what, people play solitaire all the time on the computer, people play poker all the time on the computer. The deck of cards have stood the test of time, and have been around for over a thousand years. Lets do a little history lesson on the deck of cards.
Like any good invention, it probably started in China. In the 9th century Chinese people had cards with figures, instructions, or forfeits on them that would revolve around drinking alcohol. Maybe this was the first ever form of kings cup. That drinking game is terrible by the way. Also it is noted that 2 Chinese men were arrested with paper cards in the 13th century for gambling. Chinese people really be just like me with the drinking and the gambling.
By the 12th century playing cards have spread throughout the eastern world all the way to Egypt. Different variations were created, some decks had almost 100 cards, some had as little as 48, but what was common was numbers 2-10 with some cards above that with figures on them. When the Europeans got a hold of a deck of cards in the 13th century, that is when things started to become modernized. 52 cards 2-10 with a jack, queen, king, ace. As you can guess, they based the hierarchy on the royal people. In my findings, I could never find a culture that used an even number deck of cards like 50 or 100. Always some shit like 32, 97, or 48. Through all this time we couldn't find a nice even number like 50.
Once playing cards came over to the western world in the 18th century, of course us silly Americans had to put our own little spin on it, and we added the joker cards to the deck. Why you may ask, because of the game Euchre. I have never heard of that game, and also apparently the one joker is higher than the other joker in terms of value. Both jokers to me are worth the same as they both go in the trash can the same way.
There are also many different kinds of suits from the different cultures. The one used today is from the French, who made the suits much more family friendly as the Spanish, Portuguese, and Italians had actuals clubs instead of the club we know now, and swords instead of spades. Hearts and diamonds were also cups and coins for most other cultures.
There is your history lesson for the day. Please like this article and share with someone who you have played a game of cards with.
And that my gambling buddies, is the tea, with T
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